Still Combat?

[sullygoarmy]

I'm currently in the brigade responsible for Baghdad and was here during the "end of combat operations". The funny thing is we ended up in more direct fire engagements post 1 September than are previous 9 months in theater. Soldiers are still getting wounded and receiving Purple Hearts. IEDs continue to be the biggest threat and, for those who earn them, Soldiers receive CIBs/CABs. We still draw hostile fire pay and the enemy is doing everything they can to inflict harm, regardless of the date. Apparently they never received the memo to stop their combat operations on 1 September.

I would argue that combat operations have not ended. Instead, the focus has shifted from combat operations to the primary mission being Advise and Assist. We are a little different, however, since we trained as, were resourced for, and arrived in theater as an AAB almost a year ago. Our mission has always been advise and assist since day 1. For us, 1 September looked like every other day we've been in theater, working with our ISF partners.

What I think we did by declaring the end of combat operations, however, was to open an information operations seam for the enemy to exploit. Every firefight, every wounded U.S. Soldier, contradicts the misleading statement that combat operations are at an end.

[Tom Odom]

I'm currently in the brigade responsible for Baghdad and was here during the "end of combat operations". The funny thing is we ended up in more direct fire engagements post 1 September than are previous 9 months in theater. Soldiers are still getting wounded and receiving Purple Hearts. IEDs continue to be the biggest threat and, for those who earn them, Soldiers receive CIBs/CABs. We still draw hostile fire pay and the enemy is doing everything they can to inflict harm, regardless of the date. Apparently they never received the memo to stop their combat operations on 1 September.

I would argue that combat operations have not ended. Instead, the focus has shifted from combat operations to the primary mission being Advise and Assist. We are a little different, however, since we trained as, were resourced for, and arrived in theater as an AAB almost a year ago. Our mission has always been advise and assist since day 1. For us, 1 September looked like every other day we've been in theater, working with our ISF partners.

What I think we did by declaring the end of combat operations, however, was to open an information operations seam for the enemy to exploit. Every firefight, every wounded U.S. Soldier, contradicts the misleading statement that combat operations are at an end.

Sully

Great to hear from you!

I would agree with your point on the IO aspects. Much has been driven by the artificialty of the SA and its timetable, one that the Iraqis pay lip service to even as they use it.

Best regards
Tom

[Bob's World]

Far better to have declared that the "war" is over, but that the mission continues, and that that mission will indeed include combat operations.

We do not want to define our endstate as total peace with no combat going on, or we could be there another 10 years. Rather at that point where we have raised Iraqi capacity and reduced the threat to the point where they meet. Where our capacity is no longer required and we can step aside.

Granted, even then there may be some areas or certain periods where threats surge beyond Iraqi capacity, but that by an large they have it and there mission continues as well.

I think we cling to terms like "war" and "combat" in the military because our guys are out there doing hard, dangerous work and we want to get full credit. At some point you just have to be a quiet professional and realize not everyone is going to understand what you do, why you do it, or how dangerous it actually is. You just do it because its your mission and you understand that strategically its better not to oversell these things. It's only an IO seam if you make it one.

I hate to think about how many soldiers were killed in WWII doing "mop-up" operations after MacArthur had declared a place "secured."

[sullygoarmy]

Tom,
Great to hear from you too. Our Brigade HQs is now co-located in the same building as the division HQs...some interesting dynamics there that's for sure! Not much as changed inside VBC from when you were here last although outside the wire lots has happened.

Bob, I agree with you with regards to your comment in World War Two. Excellent example.